**Part Fourteen**
Word Count: 1,264

"This is so totally the life," Buffy said.

"You think so?"

"Yes!"

"You don't think it's a little strange? No cell phones, no people knocking on your door at all hours of the night, no vampires, no murders, rapes or muggings. No rooms to wander through but this one."

"Mm, put like that, yeah, it is a little strange. But I like it and could totally get used to it."

"You wouldn't know what to do with yourself if you weren't as busy as you are."

"You're probably right."

They did have their cell phones with them, but neither had turned one on yet. Giles was the only person who knew where they were staying, so if there was apocalypse-worthy stuff he could get a hold of Buffy.

"So, what plans do you have for today?"

"Besides making love to my husband? Not much of anything. I thought maybe we should go see a museum or something."

He chuckled. "Why?"

"Well, we're in Paris. We should, like, do touristy stuff."

They'd been married a year, but only just now were taking their honeymoon. Time and a crisis or two for both of them prevented them from getting away sooner. It was nice this way, though. A reaffirmation that they were married.

They'd scrimped on the wedding, basically eloping with about a dozen witnesses. It was the only way to do it fairly. With the entire police force back in Phoenix and now in London, and close to two thousand slayers, it just wasn't feasible to invite everyone. And neither wanted to get into a playing favorites thing. So, they'd gone small and casual without pomp and circumstance.

That meant they'd been able to save a good amount for a nice honeymoon. Others had given money even though they'd said no gifts, which went to this trip. It was the first vacation Buffy'd ever had really, certainly since she was a kid. Lee hadn't had too many of them either. So they were both enjoying it. The fact they were starting their third day and hadn't been out of their hotel room other than a handful of times didn't lessen their enjoyment of Paris at all.

"I've heard tell there are a lot of people who don't see the outside of their hotel rooms on their honeymoon. Besides, you've been drinking French wine, isn't that touristy?"

She laughed. "Hmm, I guess so."

She'd gotten used to drinking the occasional glass of wine around him. She'd felt odd at first, but he'd assured her he didn't have a problem with it.

"So, two years ago when Allison woke you up in the middle of the night…?"

"I never would have believed I'd end up here."

"Me neither. I thought I was going to die that night. And maybe in a way I did. That Buffy, the all work and no play Buffy. I got you out of the deal, and this so am very glad I went to Phoenix."

"Me, too."

"You asked me once if I wanted kids."

"Oh, well, you marrying me is plenty of answer for right now, Buffy."

"I know, it took me this long to come up with an answer. An answer I was happy with anyway. Well, not quite this long. Do you want to hear it?"

"If you want to tell me."

"I wasn't sure someone would want to marry me, have kids with me knowing I might leave them responsible for kids on their own. And that still bothers me, but I know the risk is less now than it was two years ago. And I know you have read all of the warning labels that go with my life. So, that's a long-winded way of saying, yes, I would love to have kids."

"We've got the making them part down pretty well for when we want to do that."

She laughed. "Yes, we do. In fact, I was kind of thinking of maybe going off the pill soon. Like when we get back to London."

"Oh?" He chuckled and grew quiet. "So, you really made up your mind."

"Is that okay?"

"Yeah, I'm certainly not getting any younger," he leaned in and kissed her. "That'll just give me a legitimate reason to take you away from things a few days a month."

She laughed. "Yes. The doctor said it could take a few months. Or longer. I've never tried before, but something about after the pill or something."

"I'm good with that."

"Okay then."

"Wow."

"How's that for an anniversary present?"

"A pretty outstanding one. We certainly have had an interesting couple of years. I never would have believed it if someone told me."

"I never understood why you kissed me that first time."

"Mm, at your hotel room, right?"

"Yes."

"I don't know why either. I just couldn't help myself. You were - are - beautiful and amazing, and the way you talk about your life is just so matter of fact. It was kind of a turn-on."

"Obviously."

"I knew that night that I was in trouble."

"Trouble, huh?"

"Yes, and now look at me. Married to you."

"You know, you're pretty amazing, too. I think back to it, and really I'm not surprised you didn't have me committed."

"If I didn't know Allison I might have been tempted, but I was at least open to the idea that there were things I didn't understand in this world."

"Yes, you were."

"So, do you want to venture out of our room?"

"We should."

"Mm, I don't think anyone who knows us would be overly surprised to find out we didn't do much."

"Why? Because we're like a couple of nympho's together?"

"No, because we're under stress and always going, always looking after other people that we get the opportunity for a week to ourselves and we're going to take it." He kissed the top of her head. "And because we're like a couple of nympho's together."

"You're probably right."

"Of course I am." He drew her to him. "Besides, I want to celebrate this kid thing."

"But we can't make one yet!"

"Well, then we've got the next few days to perfect making one. Or to take advantage of the fact that we're alone."

"It's only five other people."

The slayers were all gone by this point, out on assignments with watchers. The castle that had been bursting at the seams not too long ago in Buffy's mind was now fairly empty. Buffy, Lee, Giles, Xander, Willow, Kennedy, and Dawn lived there permanently. Giles was seeing the mother of one of the slayers. Buffy didn't know how serious it was, but she was glad to see Giles happy for a change. She'd been worried about Xander being happy. What had started out as a childhood crush on Dawn's part had turned into something more of late. Buffy wasn't sure how she felt about it, but they were both adults. And it hadn't gotten too serious for her to really worry yet.

"About that… If you plan on staying off the pill after the first one."

"Yes?"

"We might need a bigger castle."

"An ambitious mind, I like that. We'll work on that. Now, seems to me you said something about celebrating…"

"I did at that. Unless you really wanted to venture outside."

"Outside is highly overrated. We'd need clothes and no sex is allowed in public."

"That's a drag," he said as she moved on top of him.

"I thought so, too." She leaned down to kiss him. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

~The End~

Story ©Susan Falk/APCKRFAN/PhantomRoses.com